Tonight we were celebrating Chinese New Year in the most orginal way. This was an event presented by Sons of James music. A one night only murder mystery incorporating Chinese elements and storytelling all throughout dinner.
Hosted by Cindy’s Palace in East Vancouver, the very restaurant I order dim sum and delivery from, when craving Chinese food. So I knew I would at least like the food.
My friend bought me the ticket, so I walked in not knowing what to expect. However, left away a fan of this elaborate, multi-disciplined performance with a carefree, causal, and fun amateur feel. Early bird tickets were $80 per person, whereas regular ones cost you $100 per person.
The restaurant was sectioned off for the private event. As guests trickled in they found their assigned seats and were welcomed to make a purchase at the bar. You pay for your drinks ahead of the time as tickets at the cash register, then redeemed them at the one man bar cart. On top of beer and wine options there was a bespoke cocktail menu, crafted just for the occasion by Counter Culture Cocktails from his Cocktail Dim Sum Cart.
This was an impressive assembly featuring Chinese beers and branded soda, as well as Chinese made spirits.
The Year of the Snake cocktail was a boozy party starter with tequila, Aperol, sour plum, and tangerine soda. The citrus juices and a unique saltiness from the fragrant plum.
The Butterfly Lovers was brandy, jiaduobao herbal tea, super lemon, and brown sugar. This was tea forward, which helped to cut into the greasier dishes, similar to regularly steeped and server tea with Chinese food.
The room’s favourite was In the Mood for Love with its unique use of zhi ma hu, which is a black sesame soup. This was mixed along with bourbon, averna, and vanilla bean oloroso sherry. This drank like a dessert, thick and creamy on the lips, the roasted black sesame flavour really shines.
As we settled into our seats and made friends with our table mates, the scene was set.“It’s 1959 in Vancouver’s Chinatown and Chef Jimmy Yan of Cindy’s Palace has been murdered. Everyone in the restaurant is a suspect. Who killed him and why?” (As per the eventbrite details)
The actors are all volunteers, reading off the script for the first time, much like commercial table reading, but standing up. They stood at the front and did the best to embody their noir characters. The narrator and host ran the show, he kept the plot flowing and the audience going with his humour, sass, and boundless energy.
The play started with a scream and all throughout they name dropped local places like Guys and Dolls Billards and Hogan’s Alley. All intermingled with plenty of puns, like the name of one of the suspects was “Sum yung guy”.
The play progressed with a saxophone solo and transition, the seated guests even broke out into karaoke song when he performed “Careless Whisper”. There were elements of magic where the audience was led to believe that the killer was chosen at random, but actually predetermined and revealed through cardplay.
The performance was split into 3 acts, with intermissions where our 10 course Chinese banquet style dinner would be served, during which local musicians performed. The Dave Say Jazz Trio played to welcome and set the tone during the play.
Anna Fang played the Erhu, better known as the Chinese Violin. She performed traditional Chinese songs.
And our table mate and friend Michelle Kwan played the Guzheng, Chinese Harp. She too did a couple of traditional melodies, intermingled with her take on pop songs including instrumentals from Alicia Keys, Adele, and Taylor Swift. Most notable was her recent past performance during the intermission of the Canucks Chinese New Year game and themed night.
They all offered nice background music as we chatted, scooped, and ate our meal.
We started with a Chicken corn soup, no bits of chicken, but given its flavour from the use of chicken bone broth. It had a thick and glutenous feeling in the mouth, followed by a wave of sweetness.The restaurant put red vingar and white pepper on the table, so I helped myself and found it unexpectedly wonderful. My second bowl of soup was a little bland without it.
Everyone was too forward at our table, so our server dispensed the Peking duck for us. She scooped a pancake and two pieces of duck breast for each person. Followed by the preparation or additional bites for those bold enough to claim another from off of the lazy Susan. The pancakes were a little undercooked and floury. Inconsequential, considering that you are eating this for the crispy duck skin and meat, and are splattering the lot of it in a sweet and salty brown sauce anyways.
Our third course was a vegetarian dish of fried tofu, broccoli, mushroom, and baby bok choy. Each had a slimey coating of starch, remaining the veggie’s soft and crispy mixed texture. However, as is this was a little dull and we had to ask for a side of chilli oil for some kick.
The lettuce wraps were fresh and tasty with tender duck meat and more sweet and savoury brown sauce.
The deep fried shrimp was our only seafood course. Each whole shrimp was tasty and crispy enough to have me eating it all from head to tail.
Our second vegetable course had a similar syrupy texture to the first. A serving of enoki mushroom over baby bok choy. I only had the fibrous strands of mushroom, as I don’t like the texture of soggy leafy greens.
We found the crispy chicken with shrimp crackers a little salty. More white meat than dark, each piece well seasoned, but all one toned.
I would save this to enjoy with the last two starch courses. Served at the end of the meal to ensure everyone leaves full. I preferred the traditional fried rice with its wok flame kissed mix of bbq pork, shrimp, carrots, and peas. This served as a great base for the chicken above.
Whereas the fried noodles were plain with a single texture and mild soy taste. I always, I thought it would be best to have both this and the rice served during the meal with the meatier morsels.
And for dessert each table shared a freshly baked tapioca mango pie. It was piping hot from the oven, with a crispy pineapple bun-like topping and a gummy centre from the fruit mash and the chewy tapioca balls.
The night ended with a beauty pageant as guests were invited to dress in 50’s fashion to keep with the theme. Women were especially encouraged to wear Qi Pao dresses to now compete for the title of “Ms Chinatown”. The winner was chosen by way of clapping.
In closing, I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of the event and will be keeping my eye out for any future ones. Hopefully they have other series and more mysteries to solve.
Cindys Palace
1796 Nanaimo St, Vancouver, BC V5N 5B9
(604) 253-6183
cindyspalace.ca
